Crystal Clear
by Chocpen
Summary: Sparks on your palm. How does that feel like?


It was winter time in the Iwatobi Kingdom. Princess Makoto hated winter time. No, that was a lie. She loved winter. The fire place, the hot cocoa and the sweet smell of the logs of wood that they delivered far down in the basement under the castle. But the princess could never enjoy it all just in time. It was because she became ill. No matter how many doctors gave her boxes and boxes of syrups and soups, or how many healthy plates of balanced food she ate or how many times she prayed with her mother, she became ill just when winter came around. She became ill and sick and tired.

Her parents would lock her up in her room and change her bed time to a bit earlier. The servants wrapped her in many sweaters and coats. A scarf or two around her neck in a tight grip. They'd give her gloves and two pairs of socks that were underneath the thickest boots in her closet. How the little girl could walk around with so many layers baffled the workers but they didn't question.

They gave her books to read but she'd say she has already read them all in previous seasons. Toys became too childish. Painting gave her headaches from the fumes and drawing was useless since she's drawn everything in her room. She tip toed around her room and crawled into her bed and the servants found her already sleeping when they went to check up on her.

She'd sniffle and cough and a small whistle would escape her mouth as she breathed through her jaw. She didn't fuss or complain about her heating forehead and her sweating palms, but they were concerned when they watched as the girl gazed out the window at the laughing and playing children down in the streets. Her friends, Haruka and Nagisa would ask to stay in with her but she waved them off. Told them it wasn't fair for them to stay. Haruka still stayed but soon left when the girl kept insisting. He'd say he'd come back but she knew his parents would pull him away from her sneezes.

The girl slowly stopped to hope her timed illness would soon pass and she'd run out into the snow and surprise her friends. She stopped hoping to lay in the snow and make all sorts of snow angels and finally feel the shape of a snowman. She'd stop hoping seeing a red tinted nose in the mirror after a day of catching snowflakes with her tongue. But, she didn't stop to hope for something.

And that night there was something.

She sat with her back against the door and pressed her ear. She heard the murmurs and the whispers and the little swifts as he turned the page. He told her that it was his own book from his home and that she probably hasn't read it yet. She has. She has read the story many times before, but she didn't say a word. She knew the story well yet she was so anticipated by every word that he drew.

He sat outside the room for she didn't want him to be inside. She didn't want him to see her puffy and sniffling face and her messy room and all the tissues that lay all over her bed. She didn't tell him, though. She just said that she didn't want him to catch her sick, and although he first protested, he soon gave up. He sat in front of the door and read the story to her with motioning words.

He'd say them clearly and lightly and softly. His voice was a bit deeper than she was used to and she noticed how it went higher in some places. She'd giggle a bit, but she then felt bad and bit her lip. "Rin,"she interrupted and tilted her head. "Rin..how does the snow look like?" She knew how it looked like. She'd stare through the windows at the white crystals that fell from the sky. So graceful and light and magical.

"How...how does it feel like?"she further asked. She ticked her fingers as there was a hesitance, but then she heard a thud and a thump. A shuffle and then a pause. She tried to move and lean a bit closer, but then the floor boards would creak. If it creaked someone would hear. They did last time.

"It,"his voice was rough yet pitched. "It..it feels like,"a hesitance and a silence. She rubbed her shoulder against her neck and pursed her lips. "Yes..?"she said under her breath and the boy clicked his tongue. "Well, when you touch it...it goes away. It melts. Your hands are wet and when you touch your clothes they get soggy," that didn't sound too graceful or magical. "But," she blinked, "there's a moment before it melts. A moment when you feel it, it sparks. It feels cold..no, it's _freezing,_ but it's a nice freezing. It sparks on your palm and it gives you a rush. A nice rush. And when you look at it, it sparkles but then it goes away so fast. Like a rainbow after a storm."

She glanced at her gloves as he explained. She slipped it off slowly and placed her bare hand on the floor cautiously. Sparks, she thought. Sparks on your palm. How does it feel like? It sounded so wonderful. "That,"she pressed her lips, "that sounds..beautiful, Rin. I wish I could feel the snow." A shuffle and she could hear him turn. A creak. Oh no. Please don't let someone hear that, she begged.

"You could,"he whispered. "You could, one day. It's just a little ill, princess. It will go away after a while." That was such a nice thought. So much nicer than what Makoto learned to live with. "Yes, I will get over it, Rin. I will. But the snow will melt all away when I do,"she whispered and wanted to take them back. She didn't want to say them because if she said them it would be true. She panicked and there was a creak as she motioned. Foot steps.

"Yes, but it will come back, princess. It will. And I'll be there with you in the snow when it does,"he said quickly and she heard as he stood and she heard his thudding steps. She parted her lips and she heard the little whistle. She stood quickly and strode to her bed. She slipped under the sheets and pulled them over her shoulders when the light crept through.

She slipped her glove and felt for the stair's railings. It was cold. No, it was freezing. She looked down at the frosted steps and liked the crunching sound as she stepped on each one. She glanced up and smiled at the twinkling lights that shined off of the white landscape. She turned slowly to him and cupped his hand in hers. His gloves were soggy. She pursed her lips and lifted her skirt just a bit as she looked down at the threshold.

She shut her eyes as she stepped onto the snow. Crunching and she felt it melt into her thick boots. Her smile widened and she looked back at her guard. He grinned back at her and she felt a rush. A tingle and a bliss. She held unto him tight as she moved further into the landscape and walked backwards, letting out the chuckles and the giggles and a snort that she hid embarrassingly into her shoulder. When he let her go she fell into the snow. It melted into her hair and she felt it under her palms and down her spine.

So cold and freezing. So wonderful. So magical. He sat next to her and she didn't care for his teasing looks as she motioned her arms and her legs into the snow and felt light making her first angel. She glanced up at him when she got tired and softened her smile. "You were right,"she whispered under her shaky breath and he tilted his head, "_sparks._"


End file.
